Where Is Earlywood Anyway?

…a place where the beer flows like wine (literally, from Red Lodge Ales) and the beautiful (mountain)women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I’m talking about a little place calledRed Lodge.

Is it appropriate to start a post by summoning the spirit of the feeble-minded stooge Lloyd Christmas? Probably not. Is it honest to make this connection when introducing the locale in which we have chosen to establish our business? We think so; when you are talking about a place as exceptional as Red Lodge, Montana; the place where we hand-make our wooden spoons every day; the place we call home.

Red Lodge is nestled at the base of the Beartooth Mountains, a mere 68 miles from the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The drive from Yellowstone to Red Lodge takes adventurous visitors over the Beartooth All American Highway- a pass topping out at 10,947’ – with scenes reminiscent of the cross-country scooter journey by two of America’s most unlikely heroes-Lloyd and Harry. While we don’t advocate travelling long distance on scooters with a pull start, we do advocate experiencing the road less traveled- the road to Red Lodge.

The best thing about living and operating a business out of a place like Red Lodge is the wide range of characters we encounter while going about our days. You are equally as likely to chat with a fourth- generation rancher over coffee as you are to rub elbows with a James Beard Award nominated chef while dropping your kids off at school. From Monday night dinner clubs to bluegrass jam sessions; Red Lodge has it all; spunk, personality and an authenticity which has been extinguished or overrun in many western communities.

Being part of the fabric of a small community such as Red Lodge means we do things the right way. We design each of our heirloom quality pieces to stand the test of time. We ensure our wooden utensils are unmatched in utility while beautiful enough to garnish a holiday feast. We cook food to share with our friends and family or just about anyone who wanders into town with an appetite. Most importantly, we smile, and crack jokes a lot.

So as the winter melts away into spring and the possibility for new beginnings emerges, we encourage you to hop on your scooter and find your way to your own special destination. And, if you wind up in Red Lodge, give us a holler.